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EzraKnight's avatar
EzraKnight
Iron Contributor
Apr 23, 2025

Cant install software after reinstalling Windows

After i reinstalled Windows I couldnt install Maxthon , Firefox or Opera browsers. I downloaded, installed and used all three before the reinstall. I was only able to install Firefox by using Intern...
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WolfGangg's avatar
WolfGangg
Iron Contributor
Sep 15, 2025

If you can’t install browsers or other software after reinstalling Windows, it’s usually caused by missing Windows Updates and outdated root certificates. Install all pending Windows updates, update system certificates, and install Visual C++ and .NET runtimes—this will restore proper installer behavior and fix browser errors.

Detailed Fix:

  1. Run Windows Update completely – Go to Settings > Windows Update and install every pending update (not just SP1/SP2).

  2. Update Root Certificates – Download the latest Root Certificate Update from the Microsoft Update Catalog.

  3. Install system runtimes – Install the latest Visual C++ Redistributables (x86/x64) and .NET Framework Runtime.

  4. Re-download browsers – Use Internet Explorer to download installers, save them to disk, then install after updates.

  5. Check security software – Temporarily disable antivirus/firewall if installers won’t open.


✅ Once updates and runtimes are installed, browsers like Opera, Firefox, and Maxthon will install and display web pages normally.

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